Full Understanding and Expression

 

 

May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

 

—2 Thessalonians 3:5 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Lead my heart that I would come into a full understanding of Your love and then be able to express that same love to others—with the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

 

Help me each day to come to understand Your love more—by granting me insights into its mysteries and ever deeper revelations of its wondrous and healing power.

 

May my deepening understanding of Your unfailing love cause my heart to change toward others—so that I can fully express Your love to them, as my own.

 

May Your love’s patient endurance live in me—a manifestation of Christ in my life—so that all will see You and give You the glory and honor that You are due.

 

Lead my heart that I would come into a full understanding of Your love and then be able to express that same love to others—with the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Love of Christ!

 

Jesus wept.

 

—John 11:35 (NASB)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compassionate Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your deep, deep love of humanity which You expressed to us in the tears that You shed.

 

Thank You for loving me enough to come to earth and take on the flesh and blood and the mind and emotions of a man, to experience all the tests and trials and grief and pain that I face—and so much more—so I would know that You know how I feel.

 

Thank You that there is healing from my hurts and pains in the tears that You designed for me to shed—that it’s okay to cry—and that in crying I should cry out to You, the only One who can help me live an overcoming life of peace and victory.

 

Thank You for Your example of loving compassion and how it reminds me of my obligation to open my heart that I might be overwhelmed by Your Spirit with compassion for all those around me—for life in this world is not easy, especially for those who do not know You.

Thank You for Your deep, deep love of humanity which You expressed to us in the tears that You shed.

 

In Your Matchless Name, Jesus, Amen.

Love the LORD!

 

 

“Love the LORD your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.”

 

—Joshua 22:5b (NLT)

 

 

 

 

O LORD, My God,

 

May everything that I think, say, and do, be evidence of my unwavering love for You—so that there would never be any doubt about who owns my heart and keeps my soul!

 

Grant me the wisdom to walk in all Your ways—to be faithful to follow, even when the path is hard, and steep, and narrow—for all Your ways are perfect.

 

Grant me the willingness to obey all Your commands—for in obedience to You, I find the path to life and well-being, to healing, and to wholeness for my soul.

 

Grant me the strength to hold firmly to You—and to believe that You will uphold me in every way and provide for my every need along this journey to my forever home in You.

 

Grant me the humility to submit to You in all things—as You work in me the desire and the power to offer all my heart and soul in service for You.

 

May everything that I think, say and do, be evidence of my unwavering love for You—so that there would never be any doubt about who owns my heart and keeps my soul!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

For They Bring Life

 

 

My child, pay attention to what I say.

    Listen carefully to my words.

Don’t lose sight of them.

    Let them penetrate deep into your heart,

for they bring life to those who find them,

    and healing to their whole body.

 

—Proverbs 4:20-22 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me pay attention to what You say!

 

With Your Holy Spirit as my teacher, help me fully hear what You would say to me—when I read and study my Bible, while I listen to teaching and preaching, through my conversations with others, and as I quiet myself before You.

 

Help me receive, remember and treasure every word—allowing the truth of Your words to find a home in the deepest parts of my heart and abide there forever.

 

Then help me apply the truth that I have hidden in my heart to everything I think, say, and do—so I can experience the life, healing, and wholeness it brings, to my body, soul, and spirit, for the rest of my days, for Your glory and for my good!

 

Help me pay attention to what You say!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Each Heart

 

 

Each heart knows its own bitterness,
    and no one else can fully share its joy.

 

—Proverbs 14:10 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to remember that only You can fully know the depths of the hearts of the those around me—and help me to carefully consider that truth, and love them with all the love of Christ.

 

Teach me to look through eyes of compassion at each person I encounter, realizing that I do not fully know the particular experiences that have helped to shape them into the persons that they now are—whether for the good, or for the bad.

 

Don’t let me forget that each person’s heart carries its own bitterness and pain—each heart its own hurts, wounds and brokenness—which cry out, searching for healing wherever it might be found.  

 

Use me to help point the broken-hearted to Your Son, and our Savior, Jesus—the only One that can bring true healing to the broken—as I speak truth and grace, motivated by love, into their lives.

 

And help me also to rejoice with those whose hearts are rejoicing—though I can never fully share the joy that is uniquely theirs—in order that my own joy would be awakened within me, and my mouth would be filled with praise to You.

 

Help me to remember that only You can fully know the depths of the hearts of the those around me—and help me to carefully consider that truth, and love them with all the love of Christ.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Mark Out a Straight Path

 

So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

 

—Hebrews 12:12-13 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

With each new challenge that comes, grant me the wisdom to renew my grip on the plans You have for me, and the strength and courage to recommit myself to follow the straight path of obedience, for the benefit of all those around me.

 

When I find myself facing difficulties—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—and when I am weary from the fight, help me take a new grip on the call You have placed on my life to follow You.

 

Help me to push forward through those fears that would weaken my knees and undermine my effectiveness—as I courageously face the unknown in the confidence that I am not alone, because Your Spirit upholds me according to the power of Christ at work in me.

 

Help me to follow that straight path of willing obedience to You in all things, so that those who are weak and have been injured in this good fight of faith will see You at work—both in me and through me—and be encouraged, strengthened, healed, and made whole again in You, for Your glory!

With each new challenge that comes, grant me the wisdom to renew my grip on the plans You have for me, and the strength and courage to recommit myself to follow the straight path of obedience, for the benefit of all those around me.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

The Power of Goodness!

 

 

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

—Romans 12:21 (NIV)

 

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

May I never be overcome by the evil that surrounds me, nor miss the opportunity to overcome evil with good.

 

When I feel overwhelmed by the evil that is evident all around me, remind me that it is the power of Christ’s love that has delivered me out of the enemy’s hand and has made me an overcomer.   

 

And help me to enforce the enemy's defeat in my life—to stand against evil as You lead me to do what is good and right in Your sight, to choose light over darkness.

 

Remind me that the only way to conquer evil is with good—that good will always win over evil in the end. Let the power of Your goodness flow into me and through me to overcome every evil thing I face.

 

May I never be overcome by the evil that surrounds me, nor miss the opportunity to overcome evil with good.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Heal Me, Save Me!

 

 

O LORD, if you heal me, I will be truly healed;

    if you save me, I will be truly saved.

    My praises are for you alone!

 

—Jeremiah 17:14 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Sovereign LORD of My Life,

 

All my praise belongs to You alone!

 

Thank You for being the One who truly and fully heals me of all my brokenness—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually—as You draw me closer and closer to You and form the true character of Christ in me.

 

Thank You for being the One who truly and completely saves me—from all my sins, from all my faults, and from all my failures—the One who sets me free to become everything that I have been created and called to be in Christ. 

 

No one else deserves my praise, so help me never give to another that which belongs to You alone. For You are the One who truly heals me, the One who truly saves me. May Your praises forever be on my lips.

 

All my praise belongs to You alone!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

While There is Still Time

 

That is why the LORD says,

“Turn to me now, while there is time.

Give me your hearts.

    Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,

    but tear your hearts instead.”

Return to the LORD your God,

    for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

He is eager to relent and not punish.”  —Joel 2:12-13 (NLT)

 

Merciful and Gracious LORD God,

 

Fully expose my every sin and bring me to heartfelt grief, so that my grief would lead me to true, godly repentance. And in that repentance, let me return to You, so I may be healed and made whole again.

 

May any outwardly visible manifestation of my grief over my sin be an accurate indication of how my heart is torn with grief—as I resolve to turn from that sin, to leave it behind forever, to throw myself once again on Your mercy, to ask for Your forgiveness, and return to You.

 

Help me to make the choice to return to You now, with the confidence that comes from believing that You truly want to be in relationship with me—and in the understanding that You are full of mercy and compassion, slow to get angry, and filled with unfailing love

 

May I run back to You quickly, with the assurance that You are willing to welcome me back, ready to relent from giving me the punishment that I deserve, and are eager to bring me back to that walk of obedience into which You first called me.

 

Fully expose my every sin and bring me to heartfelt grief, so that my grief would lead me to true, godly repentance. And in that repentance, let me return to You, so I may be healed and made whole again.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Light!

 

 

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.

 

—Genesis 1:3-4 (NLT)

 

Creator of Light and Life,

 

Let every word I speak be birthed out of truth, seasoned with grace, spoken in faith, and motivated by love—bringing light and life to anyone who has ears to hear. 

 

You spoke, “Let there be light,” and light came into being from nothing—forever demonstrating for us the creative power of Your spoken Word. 

 

Knowing that You have made me in Your image, may I ever be mindful that the words I speak also contain a power to create—either something that is good, or something that is evil. 

 

Forgive me, LORD, for too often my careless words have created doubt, instead of hope; resentment, instead of respect; discouragement, instead of encouragement; hurt, instead of healing; darkness, instead of light; and death, instead of life.

 

Just as You saw that the light was good, help me to speak in such a way that I might see good things created from the words that You give me to speak—that with every word, I would represent Christ well and bring You glory.

 

Help me to walk fully in Your light—so I can be the messenger of light, that You created me to be, to those who are lost and separated from You by the evil darkness of this world.

 

Let every word I speak be birthed out of truth, seasoned with grace, spoken in faith, and motivated by love—bringing light and life to anyone who has ears to hear. 

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen. 

Your Name

 

 

 

“Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.’”

 

—Matthew 6:9 (NASB)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Teach me to keep Your Name Holy—set apart as sacred, revered in my heart, and glorified through my life.

 

Show me how to bring honor to Your Holy Name—in everything I think, say, and do—so others might see in me the mercy, forgiveness, healing, grace, truth, peace, and joy of Your love, which is available to all those who call upon Your Name.

 

Keep me from using Your Holy Name in vain—carelessly throwing it around, shamefully invoking it in unholy ways and bringing dishonor to all the holy perfection that is represented in Your Name.

 

Fully knowing who I am as Your dearly loved child, help me to speak and act boldly, and in faith, according to the Truth and Grace that are fully expressed by the perfect Love that is found within Your Holy Name.

 

Teach me to keep Your Name Holy—set apart as sacred, revered in my heart, and glorified through my life.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Lead Me, Lord!

 

 

May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

 

—2 Thessalonians 3:5 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Lead my heart that I would come into a full understanding of Your love and then be able to express that same love to others—with the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

 

Help me each day to come to understand Your love more—by granting me insights into its mysteries and ever deeper revelations of its wondrous and healing power.

 

Let my deepening understanding of Your unfailing love cause my heart to change toward others—so that I can fully express Your love to them, as my own.

 

Let Your love’s patient endurance live in me—a manifestation of Christ in my life—so that all will see You and give You the glory and honor that You are due.

 

Lead my heart that I would come into a full understanding of Your love and then be able to express that same love to others—with the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Compassionate Love of Jesus

 

 

Jesus wept.

 

—John 11:35 (NASB)

 

Compassionate Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your deep, deep love of humanity which You expressed to us in the tears that You shed.

 

Thank You for loving me enough to come to earth and take on the flesh and blood and the mind and emotions of a man, to experience all the tests and trials and grief and pain that I face—and so much more—so I would know that You know how I feel.

 

Thank You that there is healing from my hurts and pains in the tears that You designed for me to shed—that it’s okay to cry—and that in crying I should cry out to You, the only One who can help me live an overcoming life of peace and victory.

 

Thank You for Your example of loving compassion and how it reminds me of my obligation to open my heart that I might be overwhelmed by Your Spirit with compassion for all those around me—for life in this world is not easy, especially for those who do not know You.

Thank You for Your deep, deep love of humanity which You expressed to us in the tears that You shed.

 

In Your Matchless Name, Jesus, Amen.

Love the LORD Your God!

 

“Love the LORD your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.”

 

—Joshua 22:5b (NLT)

 

O LORD, My God,

 

May everything that I think, say, and do, be evidence of my unwavering love for You—so that there would never be any doubt about who owns my heart and keeps my soul!

 

Grant me the wisdom to walk in all Your ways—to be faithful to follow, even when the path is hard, and steep, and narrow—for all Your ways are perfect.

 

Grant me the willingness to obey all Your commands—for in obedience to You, I find the path to life and well-being, to healing and wholeness for my soul.

 

Grant me the strength to hold firmly to You—and to believe that You will uphold me in every way and provide for my every need along this journey to my forever home in You.

 

Grant me the humility to submit to You in all things—as You work in me the desire and the power to offer all my heart and soul in service for You.

 

May everything that I think, say and do, be evidence of my unwavering love for You—so that there would never be any doubt about who owns my heart and keeps my soul!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.